Meet Our Faculty
Get to know our faculty members and find your new mentor! Explore our profile videos
to hear about faculty interests, expertise, and roles in the Department of Communication
Sciences and Disorders. You’ll learn about their clinical training and experiences,
unique research areas and labs, involvement with our clinic, and other program insights
as you prepare for your exciting graduate school journey at the Arnold School of Public
Health.
Charles Adams, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Charley (Charles) is Clinical Assistant Professor who is a certified speech-language
pathologist He has supervised students and taught a course in stuttering for over
20 years. He has a PhD in COMD. He holds his ASHA CCCs and SC license in SLP.
Suzanne Adlof, Ph.D.
Suzanne is an Associate Professor who is a world expert in clinical research on reading
disorders. She has a PhD in COMD.
Jamy Claire Archer, MS, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT
Jamy Claire is a Clinical Assistant Professor who has supervised and provided clinical
services to children who have cochlear implants, LSVT Loud and other types of clinical
cases. She is the co-director of the auditory-verbal therapy track for students interested
in treatment for individuals with cochlear implants. She holds her ASHA CCCs, her
LSLS Certification and SC license in SLP.
Meisam Khalil Arjmandi, Ph.D.
Meisam is an Assistant Professor who is a hearing scientist who conducted research
on cochlear implants and age-related hearing loss. He teaches Speech Science and Coch-lear
Implants as an elective course.
Elizabeth Barnes, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Beth (Elizabeth) is a Clinical Assistant Professor who teaches a variety of courses
in ar-ticulation, literacy, and neurogenic cognitive disorders in the Distance Education
pro-gram. She is also the Director of the Graduate Program. She holds her ASHA CCCs
and NC license in SLP.
Heather Bonilha, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Heather is a Professor who is clinically certified. She teaches Pediatric Dysphagia
but is also a voice expert. She conducts research in voice. She holds her ASHA CCCs
and SC license in SLP.
Eugenia Crosby-Quinatoa, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Gina (Eugenia) is a certified speech language pathologist and a Clinical Assistant
Pro-fessor. She is bilingual and provides supervision for pediatric cases. Gina is
the co-director of the AVT track. She holds her ASHA CCCs and SC License in SLP.
Dirk den Ouden, Ph.D.
Dirk is an Associate Professor and conducts research on aphasia. He is qualified to
teach in the master’s program because of his extensive clinical research. He teaches
aphasia and motor speech disorders in the residential and distance program.
Laura Droege, AuD., CCC-A
Laura is the Cochlear Implant Team Coordinator. She is a certified audiologist and
teaches audiology. She holds her ASHA CCCs in Audiology and SC License in Audiology.
Lisa Fitton, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Lisa is an Associate Professor and is a clinical speech-language pathologist who con-ducts
research on speech and language disorders including reading disorders and is-sues
related to bilingualism. She holds her ASHA CCCs and SC License in SLP.
Laura Heidenreich, M.S., CCC-SLP
Laura is a Clinical Instructor and provides services in Speak-Out and other adult
ser-vices and supervises students. She is the co-director of the Neurogenic specialization
track. She holds her ASHA CCCs and SC License in SLP.
Heather Nikki Herrod-Burrows, AuD, CCC-A
Heather (Nikki) is a Clinical Audiologist who provides audiology services and supervises
as needed. She holds her ASHA CCCs and SC License in Audiology.
Abigail Hogan, Ph.D.
Abby Hogan is an Assistant Professor who is an expert in autism and conducts research.
She teaches Research Methods and Counseling.
Jessica Klusek, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Jessica Klusek is an Associate Professor who is an expert in fragile X and teaches
Autism to campus and DE students. She holds her CCCs and SC License in SLP
Sigfus Kristinsson, Ph.D.
Sigfus is an Research Assistant Professor who is transitioning to the tenure track
as an Assistant Professor. He conducts research in aphasia and teaches Stuttering.
Prior to coming to USC, he was a speech-language pathologist in Iceland.
William Matchin, Ph.D.
William Matchin is an Assistant Professor. His background is in linguistics. He also
teaches Speech and Language Development to students who are accepted into the master’s
program but who do not have a background.
Angela McLeod, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Angela is the Clinic Director and a Clinical Associate Professor. She also supervises
stu-dents for pediatric cases (myofunctional therapy). She teaches a course in phonological
disorders. She holds her ASHA CCCs and SC License in SLP.
Caryn Melvin, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Caryn teaches courses in the Distance Education program: Medical Speech-Language Pathology,
Trach and Vent, Laryngectomy. She holds her ASHA CCCs and SC License in SLP.
Hannah Midles, Ph.D.
Hannah is an audiology intern who will supervise students when qualified in the future.
She currently provides audiology services.
Juliana Miller, MS, CCC-SLP
Juliana is a Clinical Assistant Professor and the Director of External Clinical Practicum.
She supervises simulated practicum experiences and teaches the Professional Issues
and a clinical methods course. She holds her ASHA CCCs and licenses for SLP in SC
and GA
Crystal Murphree-Holden, MA, CCC-SLP
Crystal is the Director of Distance Education and a Clinical Assistant Professor.
She pro-vides academic advisement to all students in the program. She also provides
docu-ments as requested by the College of Education (ADEPT). She supervises Speech
Camp, the first summer practicum. She holds her ASHA CCCs and SC License in SLP.
Jean Neils-Strunjas, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Jean is a Professor and Chair of the Department. She is the Director of the Graduate
pro-gram for CAA purposes, overseeing the Leadership Team. She teaches Cognitive Disor-ders
and Geriatrics in COMD. She holds her ASHA CCCs and SC License in SLP.
Joanna Scoggins, MEd, CCC-SLP
Joanna is the Assistant Director of External Clinical Practicum and a Clinical Assistant
Professor . She teaches Augmentative Communication , Practicum, and Observation.
Ariana Silverstein, MS, CCC-SLP
Ariana is a Clinical Instructor who is a clinical speech-language pathologist with
over 15 years providing services to children. She also has 3 years’ experience as
a clinical su-pervisor and is new to USC. She holds her ASHA CCCs.
Erin Smolak, Ph.D.
Erin is an Assistant Professor on the tenure track at the preschool level. By way
of her training as a clinical researcher, she is qualified to teach Preschool Language
and Litera-cy and an elective on DEI.
Catherine Stromberg, MCD, CCC-SLP, ASDCS
Casey (Catherine) is a Clinical Instructor and supervises students, focusing on adults.
She also is co-director of the Neurogenic Specialization track. She holds her ASHA
CCCs and SC License in SLP.
Elizabeth Will, Ph.D.
Liz (Elizabeth) Will is an Assistant Professor and teaches Research. She has an R00
grant which limits her teaching to one course per year